Even though not every relationship ends on a positive note, National Ex-Spouse Day is a holiday designed to encourage people to reflect on the good times they shared with their ex-spouse. It’s a day when individuals can spend a moment having positive thoughts about their ex before moving on with their lives. Celebrated on April 14th, two full months after Valentine’s Day, this holiday is an opportunity for people to find a bit of closure.

The History of National Ex-Spouse Day

This holiday was created in Kansas City, Missouri, by Reverend Ronald Coleman on April 14th, 1987. He established the day as a means for individuals to release the negative emotions they harbor towards their ex-spouse—especially following bitter divorces. He intended for this holiday to serve as an excuse for people to expel those negative feelings and replace them with something positive.

Facts About Divorce

Since this holiday aims to encourage people to think fondly of their ex-spouses, we decided to research divorce. Below are some facts we’ve learned about divorce that we would like to share with our readers.

The Divorce Rate Actually Dropped Between 2000 and 2018

In 2018, there were over 782,000 divorces in the United States alone. While that might seem like a high number, the divorce rate actually decreased between 2000 and 2018. In 2000, the divorce rate was 4 divorces per 1,000 people. By 2018, that number had dropped to 2.9 divorces per 1,000 people. This means that the old adage that half of all marriages end in divorce isn’t exactly accurate. At the time of this writing, only about 39% of marriages end in divorce.

Many experts believe there are several reasons for the decline in divorces over recent years. One reason is that people are waiting longer to get married. Another is that couples are more willing to seek help from a licensed therapist. And the last reason is that some couples choose to cohabitate with their partner instead of marrying.

Parental Marriages Have a Direct Effect on the Marriages of Children

Experts have long understood that a parent’s marriage can directly influence whether their children will get divorced. Children of divorced parents are more likely to divorce themselves than those who grew up in stable households. Children whose parents frequently argue are also more likely to experience divorce.

Observing National Ex-Spouse Day

Observing this holiday is as simple as thinking positive thoughts about your ex-spouse and finding some resolution to the ended marriage. Those celebrating can also use the hashtag #NationalExSpouseDay on their social media accounts to encourage other divorced individuals to celebrate the positive aspects of their marriage and to move forward with their lives.